Manufacture of malt beverages.



v "No Drawing.

ROBERT WAHL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MANUFACTURE OF MALT BEVERAGES.

To all whom it may concern:

, Be it known that I, Ronnn'r \VAHL, 'a citizen of the United States. residing at Chicago, in the county of Cool: and State of Illinois.haveinvented a new and useful linproveinent in-the Manufacture of Malt Beverag'es, of which the following is a specifica- Lactic' acid developed in malt beverages,

tion.

-'l'he object of my invention is to provide a process of treating malt beverages for rcndering thenr lmrticrdarly wholesome and palatable by acidulation with lactic acid fermentatiou to the exclusion of putrefication and to the exclusion. particularly, also-of anyother fermentation, such as alcoholic, butyric, acetic and like fermentations that would tend to defeat my aforesaid object.

when the latter are pure and devoid of other vferments, imparts to them an agreeable taste rand-a peculiarly agreeable flavor, besides rendering them especially wholesome.

To practice my. invention T subject the substance to be acidulat'ed to a temperature that will practically destroy or prevent: the development in it. of any ferment other than that. of lactic acid but which will permit development of the bacteria of the latter, which may be suppliod to the substance under-treatment by adding thereto a suitable quantity of these bacteria, or by merely exposing it to the influence of the surrounding atmosphere while maintaining itat the required temperature.

My invention lies-in the discovery of the proper temperature for producing the desired result, which-I have found to be 50 C. as best for my purpose, though it may vary from about 46 C. to about C. without departure from the invention.-

To producem-y improved article-of malt- Beverage I proceed, ,in detail, as follows: The malt-wort is prepared in the usual or any suitable malmer from malt, with or without the employment of unm'alted cereals, whether dcgerminated or decorticated, or not, and this mash, or the wort taken therefrom (but not hopped or before hopping it, because of the antiseptic properties of the hop-resin) is subjected to a temperature of 50 C., atwhich lactic-acid bacteria thrive to the exclusion of practically all other or gariisms. That temperature ismaintained until the proper extent of acidulation, of from about one-tenth to about five-tenths per cent. of lactic acid content, has taken place,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 13, 1909. Serial No. 517,465.};

Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

. 1.- as may be ascertained by analysis. The process is completed by thereupon cooli n; the

ated in any known or suitable manner. and which should be subjected to chillingand clarification either before .or after carbonatinpz The beverage may, obviously. be ven any desired taste and flavor to suit individ l ual requirement by treating it with hops.

spice. It is essential that the mash or wort beinocula'ted, while at the prescribed 'tcnn pcraturc or in the'rangre thereof, with the lactic'acid bacteria, so that after [)tl )l()lll'/.il-

pleted, the liquid must be cooled down to that temperature preparatory to the inoculation by addingto it the supply of lactic acid bacteria or exposing it to the atmosphere for from afew hours to a few days, The addition referred to may be in the forni of a small quantity of crushed malt, which quautity may be one-half of one per cent. of the originalquantitypl malt used for the mash: oi the lactic-acid fermentation may be produced by adding to the mash or wort, while at the prescribedtemperature. a quantity of brewing. In fact it is tobe recommended that about ten per cent. of each acn'lulated treatment. 'lheimportance of this lacticacid fermentation is due to the fact that the mere natural lactic acid introduced into the human system is conducive of better effects than any other acid introduced thcrein, both as to refreshing influence and taste and as an aid to the processes of digestion; while-other acids, such as phosphates, muriatic acid and acetic acid are liable to be more or less harmful to health and are therefore objectionable.

\Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent isl. The process of manufacturing a maltbeverage, which consists in mashing malt and acidulating the resultant product by inoculating it with lactic-acid bacteria while maintaining it, until the required extent of acidulation has taken place. at a temperature {46 .C. to 55 C:, or thereabont) that will promote the fermenting action of said bacteria and prevent practically all other fermentation in the liquid.

2. The process of manufacturing a mallbeverage, which consists in mashing malt, acidulating the resultant wort. by inoculatacidulated wort, which may then be carbmn' tion and starcliinversion have been cone juniper-berries or some other condiment oracidulate d masher wort from a previous product bekept for use in each successive ing it with lactic-acid bacteria while mainlation has taken place, at a temperature (46 -C. to 55 C., or thereabout) that will promote the fermentingaction of said bacteria [and prevent practically all other fermentation in the liquid, and carbonating the acid- 4 ulated product.

i The process of manufacturing a inaltbeverage, which consists in mashing malt, acidulating the resultant product by inoculating it with lactic-acid bacteria while maintaining it, until the required extent of acidulation has taken place, at a ten'lpera-ture (46 C. to 55 (1., or thereabout) that will promote the fermenting-action of said bacteria and prevent practically all other fermentation in the liquid, and hopping the acidulated product. 1

,4. As a new article of manufacture, an

extract-of malt containing the products of lactic-acid acidulation to the exclusion of the products of substantially all other fermentation. 1

5. As anew article of manufacture, a' carbonated extract of malt containing the products of lactic-acid acidulatinn to the exclusion of the products of substantially all other fermentation (i. As a new article of manufacture, a hopped extract of maltcontaining the products of lactic-acid acidulation to the exclusion of the products of substantially all other fermentation. p v

7. As a new article of manufacture, a carbonated hopped extract of malt containing. the products of lactic-acid acidulation to theexclusion of the. products of substantially.

all other fermentation; I

ROBERT WAHL.

n presence of-.-

R. A. SCHAEFER, L. HEISLAR. 

